Swanson: Becoming the next South Carolina was always UCLA's goal. Now it must beat its inspiration

UCLA coach Cori Close instructs her players during the Bruins' win over Texas in the Final Four of the NCAA women's basketball tournament on Friday night. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) I must confess, I didn’t believe them. Four years ago, I listened to then-freshman Kiki Rice and coach Cori Close tell me that their UCLA women’s basketball program would someday be like South Carolina’s.

I didn't buy it, but I admired their aspirational attitude like I admired someone who dreamed of visiting the moon. At the time, the Gamecocks were two-time national champions. Now, of course, coach Dawn Staley ’s teams have won three NCAA titles — with a shot at four, if she can get her team past Rice, Close and their Bruins in the NCAA women’s basketball championship game on Sunday.

UCLA and South Carolina, the last teams standing in the 2025-26 season. The best teams in the country. Read more: UCLA defeats Texas to set up national title showdown with South Carolina And besides that, with their hard-fought Final Four victories Friday over Texas and Connecticut , respectively, barometers for other programs that dream of ascending to such elite heights.

And wouldn’t you know it? It’s exactly as Close predicted in November 2022, when her Bruins were off to a 7-0 start with a nationally televised date against the Gamecocks up next. “Both programs obviously hold themselves to very high standards,” Close said then.